Aghada GAA Juvenile News
Hi folks, hope this newsletter finds you well, the big Aghada welcome and hand of friendship was extended to Kildare club Monasterevin last Saturday when they played our U11 footballers in an exciting Go Games style inter-county blitz. With over 30 players from each side playing 3 matches in glorious sunshine a fantastic day’s entertainment was had by all who witnessed the fine display of football from both sides. We all have great ideas every now and then, but it takes a bit more to bring them to fruition, with communications and technology as they are today the whole world is open to us all, yet it still takes someone to make that initial contact, have an idea, make that call and then set the wheels in motion. Our own Pádhraig O’ Loughlin and his brother Shane came up with the concept of the inter-county game and brought it to Lead mentor Patrick O’ Connor who in turn brought it to the juvenile committee and hey presto it was made reality. Of course, it takes a lot more in organisation to make it happen, all those who helped out with the refreshments and catering led by Niamh Callanan, the mentors and Juvenile committee who made sure everything ran smoothly, our president John T Motherway who sang the national anthem, Anthony Oosthuizen who provided the PA system, was MC and played delightful music, Andrew O’ Brien who kindly donated Easter eggs to all the children, All star Pearse O’ Neill who presented the medals and trophies and the referees Willie and David Wallace and Colm White who kept the games flowing with very little blowing. Mile Buíochas to all. The Barrowside Blues from Monasterevin headed back up the road to Kildare after a great day and friendships forged for life with Aghada GAA club. On your own you can achieve a lot, but as part of a team you can achieve a lot more and when you add in team spirit the possibilities are limitless……
Last Thursday on a glorious evening with not a puff of wind our U13 football second team entertained Bandon in Rostellan on the main field. In ideal conditions the team played an exciting brand of attacking football, with half forward James O’ Neill linking the play well the boys put some exciting passages of play together that yielded nice scores. Justin Ginju at full forward was proving to be a real handful for the opposition and a fine piece of fielding set him up nicely for a cracking goal, he also added a few points and Rian O’ Brien Higgins also found the net as we led at the break 2-3 to 1-2. Defensively we were solid all through with Harry Burgoyne, Dylan Kearns, Eoin Kirrane, and Cormac Cashman standing firm and with the athletic Darragh Callanan and Jack Kelleher full of running, punching holes in the Bandon rear-guard we went on to score an impressive 5-8 to 2-6 win.
Our U15 footballers welcomed Mayfield to Rostellan on Friday evening with the game taking place on our quarry field with the first half in daylight hours and the second half under lights. We started brightly with Jude Devoy finding the net with a crisp shot to the bottom corner after good work from centre forward Andrew Murphy and that was followed quickly by a Sam McAllister point after a surging run from wing back. Mayfield got back in the game almost immediately with a goal and a point of their own and one could sense that we were in for a close encounter. Cian Moore showed his class at full forward with a superbly executed goal after good approach play from midfielder Eanna Crowley and Cian also knocked over a couple of points although it was the visitors who led at half time by the slenderest of margins 2-4 to 2-5. The lights went on in the second half but unfortunately the lights went out in the Aghada challenge as it was Mayfield who were showing the better composure in front of goal and despite the best efforts of centre back Dara O’ Conchubhair , corner forward Ronan Norris and goalkeeper Cormac Crowley it was the visitors who ran out winners 2-11 to 2-7 as substitutes Nathaniel O’ Driscoll and Jack Buckley hit late points and we were unlucky to also see a goal ruled out as well near the end that would have made it an interesting finish.
The U13 hurlers missing a few regulars gave a good account of themselves against a strong St Catherine’s side in Rostellan. Playing against the wind we found ourselves 4 points down at half time with Matthew Condon striking an unstoppable shot to the net from half forward and a high ball from David Murphy deceiving the cats defence to end up in the net. The second half was a great battling performance with Rian O’ Brien Higgins confident and assured in goals as a late rocket from a free from Robbie Oosthuizen was not enough as it was the away side who claimed victory. Best wishes to Shay Rooney who picked up a foot injury during the game and we wish him well in his recovery.
Despite great effort throughout our premier 2 U17 footballers succumbed to the strong St Finbarr’s challenge in Rostellan last Friday. Our biggest downfall was the concession of 2 soft goals either side of half time. Noah Devoy drove forward from midfield linking well with Robert Dean as both sides produced some delightful scores. Fionn O’ Connor used his strong frame very well and worked tirelessly as Stevie O’ Shea who manned the full forward position kicked some nice points. Cian Hegarty was our best player on the night kicking some delightful scores off his left David Clifford esque. Despite missing a few players, we played well and eventually had to give second best to a formidable Barr’s outfit.
We hosted Midleton in round 3 of the U14 football league last Sunday night in Rostellan. In a thrilling game of football served up by both sides it was the magpies who took the honours but only after a serious battle from our lads. The game swung from end to end with only a point separating the sides at the short whistle. Midleton took the game to our lads at the start of the second half and pushed 5 points clear as a goal from the clinical Sam McAllister after being expertly set up by Austin (Ozzie) Schoeman cut the gap to two. Max Daly and Josh McCarthy hit the crossbar in the closing minutes as we could not find a way back, and it was the magpies who prevailed in a storming contest 1-7 to 2-8.
Our U12 hurlers travelled to Carrignavar to take on St Colmcille’s and following up their dramatic win in the last round they put in their best performance of the year to date to dismantle the home sides challenge. With tremendous hurling all over the field the boys in green were in scintillating form and went on to score 6-10. Dara O’ Brien half back the last day and full forward this time was a thorn in the home defence all through going on to score 3-1, alongside him at corner forward Sam Aherne went on to score a brace of well taken goals as energetic midfielder Cathal Lowney chipped in with 1-1 with centre forward David Murphy registering 0-7 from play and frees. All in all, it was a terrific team performance from Rian O’ Brien Higgins in goal who swapped places with Dara O’ Brien late on and scored a point, the full back line of Cormac Cashman, Dylan Kearns and Marcus O’ Loughlin not giving Carrignavar a sniff of a goal chance the half back line of Eoin Kirrane, Donncha Walsh and Finbarr Alcock mopping up everything, Jack Kelleher supreme at Midfield, while Darragh Callanan, Harry Burgoyne and Tim O’ Hanlon put in huge shifts up front as Substitute Seán Walsh fitted in seamlessly as well as the aforementioned players. Well done to all involved.
Well done once again to Oscar, Noah, Aaron and Fionn who all played in Cork Easts magnificent win over Limerick in Rostellan last Saturday, they topped the group and will now play in the quarter finals in 2 weeks time.
The best of luck to our U15 football team who play Féile football on Saturday in Killeagh starting at 10am, please support and go for it lads.
Best of luck also to the Aghada teams taking part in Scór na bPáistí in Lisgoold this Saturday.
FIXTURES:
Tue 26th Rebel Óg U17 C3 Hurlinh League Aghada V Douglas 19:30 Rostellan Wed 27th Rebel Óg East U15 P2 Hurling League Killeagh V Aghada 18:30 Killeagh Friday 29th Rebel Óg U17 P2 Hurling League Carrigtwohill V Aghada 19:00 Carrigtwohill Sun 1st May Rebel Óg U13 Football Aghada V Sam Maguires 11:00 Rostellan Mon 2nd May Rebel Óg East U12 G3 Football Aghada V Glenville 19:00 Rostellan Tue 3rd May Rebel Óg U15 C3 Football Kinsale 2 V Aghada 19:00 Kinsale

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